Copyright ©2019 by The Good Elder. All rights reserved.
Religious practitioners and doctrines often refer to "that day" as one that is urgently coming, but from what I've seen recently, fewer people believe that this "day" is truly coming. Among those who do believe, a fraction of them are actually preparing for it. While I don't subscribe to fear-mongering "doomsday" predictions, I do know that this "day" is coming (soon), and that it will 1) cause a major shift in how we understand the world and our place in it, and 2) catch many people unprepared for the effects of its coming.
And so, one day, I was moved to read from Joel chapter 2 (especially verses 12-14). The following words flowed from the inspiration that came in that moment.
Let us consider an engaged couple who are planning their wedding. The bride, in particular, often has very specific hopes, plans, and dreams about the big day. There is a lot of attention given to the guest list, floral arrangements, the reception, and, of course, the dress. However, no matter how meticulous the planning, I have never been to a wedding where something unplanned didn't happen. So, if the plan doesn't include a damage control person or provisions, a small snafu could cause a major problem on the big day.
Let us consider the aspiring police officer undergoing training at the academy. In the training environment, seasoned officers teach the trainees about evasive and high-speed driving, how to carry and use a firearm, how to employ certain suspect immobilizing tactics, and other skills useful in the field. But, no matter how great the training, or how skilled and motivated the trainee is, it pales in comparison to the moment that he faces his first chase or shoot-out. Training helps him to respond when emotions would otherwise cause him to freeze up or run away.
As different as these scenarios are, these two cases have something in common: they are preparing for a day that is sure to come, and further, a day that they look forward to and deliberately volunteered/planned for, a day when trouble may come. These are just a couple of examples among many that help us to appreciate the value of the cliché 6-Ps: prior planning prevents piss poor performance. And yet, even with prior planning, sometimes, all one can do in a moment of calamity is to stand strong and depend on God's mercy and grace.
As religious practitioners, we are in the business of salvation. In fact, we are hoping to achieve it for ourselves (and, hopefully, for the world). And, most religious tenets have the goal of preparing us spiritually and mentally to deal with troublesome times. The Bible exhorts us about a coming "day" that must be gotten through in order for us to reach "that mark." My question today is, what preparations are you making to stand in that day?
Joel is one of the overlooked books of the Bible. It is only three chapters long, and has been listed among the "minor prophets." But, I wonder how anyone who was chosen to hear and utter the Word of the LORD can be considered "minor"? If anything, I find Joel's words to be rather raw and condensed, and devastating. There's not a lot of historical or personal information there, just a quick prophetic bulletin.
In short, God's desire for Israel had not come to fruition due to our backsliding ways. Israel was in a pitiful mess of their own making, so even though God loved us, His plan was proceeding nonetheless. He sent His servant Joel to tell the people in succinct but poetic prose, "You all are a mess, and it didn't have to be this way; but God is still coming, and you can't escape or avoid it. For most, because of their condition (i.e. ill-prepared), it will be a dreadful day."
Then, he puts it out there: "the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?"
Then, in a merciful extension of the olive branch, Joel gives the following advice from the LORD (Joel 2):
[12] ...turn ye even to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
[13] And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil.
[14] Who knoweth if He will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind Him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?
It is interesting to me how God gives this same advice to the same people by the mouth of different prophets over different eras. In essence, the prescription is, "This day is coming. Turn to God with contrition and humility, for God is merciful." This, in itself, speaks volumes, subtly conveying to us several truths that we should have discovered about ourselves.
We are human, and we make mistakes. Most of us try to live and do right, but sometimes, we don't know, and sometimes, we don't want to. God is not looking for perfect practice, but perfect effort (always trying our best). My mentor taught that "We are not blessed for our success, but for our faithfulness." This truth is applicable if we are wealthy or poor, healthy or sick, ignorant or wise, confident or hesitant, respected or despised. Our station or condition in life does not affect our ability or our need to seek the LORD.
God causing this message to be repeated again and again ensures that no one misses the message. It also emphasizes that this is going to happen! God prescribes a way for us to make it through this spiritual gate (if you will), because God wants everyone to experience the joy (see also Ecclesiastes 3:12-13).
On a more somber note, the repetition suggests that many are not listening or taking heed. Its like those who take flights and ignore the safety talk, or those who take cruises but disregard the life boat training, or those in buildings who minimize the importance of fire drills. So many have the mindset, "Sure, all of this is possible, but that trouble won't happen to me... it would be too scary, too disruptive, too dangerous... It's POSSIBLE that I wouldn't make it, but God wouldn't do that to me, right?
So many believe, "I'm blessed! God gave us His son... to handle this, right?" But, let us set the record straight. Even Jesus warned those in his day (Matthew 24):
[15] When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
[16] Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
[17] Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
[18] Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
[19] And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
[20] But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
[21] For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
[22] And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
Furthermore, Prophet William S. Crowdy told us in his treatise, The Bible Story Revealed, to "Look out for the opening coming destruction, if as all saints believed the Bible is the Word of God..." He told us, "Dark and stormy is the desert through which pilgrims make they way. Yet beyond this vale of sorrow lies a field of endless day."
For all this repetition, many of us still don't believe it's coming; so what will we do in that day?
Even in everyday life, we face inescapable, unpleasant happenings, from job loss, becoming sick, being robbed or attacked, losing a loved one. Because of these experiences in our everyday lives, we understand that the possibility is not only real, but painful, and universal. Certainly we all have (or will) face a challenging moment in life, both individually and as a human collective (not unlike the present times). The question before us today is, what will you do to be ready "in that day?"
We understand that if we wait to put on a seat belt until we see the accident about to happen, we will never get it on in time. We understand that we should put aside some funds in our youth to prepare for retirement. We buy insurance. We do all these things so that we can be prepared ahead of time for a likely (difficult) eventuality. Unlike with some denominations, the point is not to be afraid, or to arouse feelings of helplessness or inadequacy; it is just a word to the wise to be prepared and to know from whence our Help comes! And, if the truth be told, some of trouble we're experiencing right now are trials from that dreadful day!
For centuries, prophets have warned of a moment from which we cannot escape, a moment that is scary, uncomfortable, and seemingly interminable. What preparations have we make in order to stand? Paul exhorted his followers (Ephesians 6):
[10] Finally, my brethren, be strong in the LORD, and in the power of His might.
[11] Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
[12] For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
[13] Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
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